Respiratory interfaces or masks are used to provide respiratory gas or gases, such as air in CPAP therapy, including in for example VPAP and BiPAP systems, or NIV, or high flow rate therapy, for example.
A respiratory interface may comprise a nasal, oral, or full face, i.e. both nasal and oral, interface. In turn an interface may be an indirect interface which covers the nose, mouth, or both, or a indirect interface such as an interface comprising nasal nozzles or pillows or similar which enter into the nares of the wearer.
Headgear for a respiratory interface may comprise a pair of lower side straps which in use extend from a rear part of the headgear along the left and right sides of the user's head below the ears to connect to the interface, and a pair of upper straps which extend from the rear part of the headgear also along the left and right sides of the users head but above the ears, to connect to the interface. The upper straps may attach to the top of a forehead support extending upwardly from a frame of the interface to the wearer's forehead, or in an interface without a forehead support may extend downwardly from above the ears, below the eyes, to connect directly to the mask. Optionally headgear may also comprise a top strap such as a crown strap or a forehead strap, and respiratory headgear may be in various other forms. For example headgear may comprise only a crown or forehead strap or an occipital loop, and a single strap on either side of the user's head or face to the mask. Typically the length of one or more of the headgear straps is adjustable so that a user can don the interface and headgear when the headgear strap or straps are loose and then tighten the straps when the interface and headgear are in position, to hold the mask and headgear securely in position thereafter until removal or doffing.
Headgear is commonly formed at least in part from a soft flexible material such as a cloth covered foam material such a BREATH-O-PRENE™ material for example, but may be formed from other material such as in part or whole from a thermoplastic material for example.